Fluid flow control system and valve therefor



May 29, 1951 w. A. SPOFFORD FLUID FLOW CONTROL SYSTEM AND VALVE THEREFOR Filed March 28, 1949 CONTROL 4 BOX Inventori:

my W 55 A t $6M W Patented May 29, 1951 FLUID FLOW CONTROL SYSEUE'M AND VALVE THEREFOR Warren A. Spofiord, Glen Ridge, as i ns:

to General Electric Company,

New York a. corporation of Application .Mareh 28, 1949,; SerialNo 83,860 2 Claims. (01; est-=3) My invent-ion relates to fluid flow control systems and devices and particularly to valves for effecting a control of fluid in two different ranges of operation. This application isa continuationin-part of my abandoned application Serial N0. 749,206, filed May 20, 1947, and assigned to the same assignee. V

In'iiuid flow control systems, and particularly those employing a heat transfer fluid, it is sometimes desirable to eontrol't he flow of fluid in two diiierent ranges of controlconditions.

For example, one system of the type under consideration is a heating and cooling system wherein a single circuit is employed for supplying both heating and cooi-ing fluid to a heat exchanger and which includes heating and cooling apparatus which may be employed selectively to provide the desired temperature of the heat transfer medium. Ina system of this type the valve for controlling the circulation of the heat transfer medium must be vcontrolled to open the valve on a rise in temperature during the cooling, period-and to close the valve on a rise internpei-zature during the heating period. it is necessary to actuate the valve in opposite dir tions with respectto temperature change Within the two ranges of operation. Furthermore, when the valve is controlled in accordance withv the required conditionsin the heating and cooling range, it is, of course; necessary that vheating fluid be supplied to the system duringthe heating range and cooling fluid during; the-cooling range.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a combined heating and cooling. system including an improved fluid flow controlling valve which provides normal flow controlling functions during both the heating and cooling operations It is another object of my invention to provide a heating and cooling system employing a single heat transfer fluid and including an improved arrangement for effecting. control of the circulatingi fluid both in the heating and cooling ranges and for assuring. a supply of fiuid at the requiredtemperature"during each range. H I

Further objects. and advantages ar y invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterizemy invention will be pointed outwith particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part ofthis specification.

Briefly, in the illustrated embodiment ofiii'y invention a control valve is provided iii a heating and cooling, system and is arranged td'bei's'p' siv'e to the temperature ofthespace tob ecsnai V suitalil'e" rfi' tio'ii'ed. valve is actuated by two pressure actuated bellows arranged so that both bellows are sfilojectd to a pressure corresponding to that temperature. During the operation of this embodiment, the first bellows controls the supply of'l'la'fi transfer fluid during the cooling period, alil t'lie s'ond benewfs overcomes the first beland controls the Sfiplfi y of heating during th'heatingv ason, it beirig" understood that tli temperature ra ge during the cooling is higher that dur ng fine heating season. A further feature of this" emloodinieiit or invention is the provision of a control efreared in accordance with operation of the secondtenows for insuring" the supply of heating fluid d'li'ffiig" the'iieating' SEi S Oii and cooiin' dur n the ooling season.

For a Better understanding of my invention referencernay be'had to the accompanying drawi'n l'iSa'd'i'a'gfam-fnatl illustration of heating alidofiolifig system embodying invention; and Fig 2 is an enlarged sectional View of the (ioi'i't'rdl Valve employed in the" SYS- tem of Fig 1'.

R'feir ow'totne drawing, the heating and coo ing SS7 m illllSt' ted in Fig", 1 comprises a surname of other heat transfer liiiit 49 3L1- ffigd an efllo'sur'e to" b conditioned indicated' by' thedotdashline 5D and arranged tobe supplied transfer fluid tram a tank 51' through inlet discharge conduits '52 and? r'snectiveiy; I'liefitf transfer ll'ciuid' employed e sys'teni' may be Water or any other su'iftalfildliqiiid' or 'solilfioi lfaiid is difcillated from the tank to tl'ie co'il natycpra tion or a pum 54 dilvii'bii asiiitable'hfotof (not shown). The rate of fiowoffliiid is reguiated by a ol'i'firol valve 55 in accordance With the tem erature in the enc osures-s: etermines y a thermal element or feeler 55L is circulated over the C011 49 aii'dthioiig h the" r'iclfiisiire" Suitable Iiiah- Iii accordance" w'itfi'theuslial practice. The di'h'tlie tahk'lil' is arranged to be heated 6i ($66165 as desired, a heat/Trig coil 51 being" a1- r a'ngeain the" tanrand supplied with heating fii'iidfrdifi' ah'aung Uri it iridiate'd at 58 In a Similar man er a cooling coil Wis arranged in tanliand applied with refrigerant from a ating'unit indicated at on. only one or the units 58? ne suf is maintained in o i'iat'lofl at a, time; Unit 58" is provided With a 's'iiitalo'le control 61,, arid the' refrigerating unit 60 is lp'i'ovidd a sifitabl t'ilifilbl 52, these Collliei .y asvfitch'fiii" actuated by enaifisni, the control '61 being energized when a movable switch arm 64 engages a lower contact 65 and the cooling control 62 being energized when the switch arm 64 engages an upper contact 66. The details of construction and manner of operation of the controls BI and 82 to regulate the required temperatures of the coils 51 and 59 form no part of the present invention and may be of any suitable type for the required purposes.

The details of the control valve assembly 55 and the manner in which it operates will be more readily apparent upon a consideration of Fig. 2, which shows the details of construction. As shown in Fig. 2, the mechanism 55 comprises a movable valve 6'! arranged in a casing 68 pro-,

vided with an inlet connection 69 and an outlet connection 10, the inlet and outlet being connected to the tank and supply line 52 respectively, as shown in Fig. 1. The valve Bl is mounted on a rocking arm H pivoted at I2 to a base member 13 of the casing 18, leakage of heat transfer fluid from the casing around the arm ll being prevented by a sealing bellows 14. The arm I I is arranged to be actuated by a control mechanism'comprising a bellows l5 and a bellows 16. The bellows l5 and 16 are provided with calibrating springs ll and 78 respectively and adjusting nuts 19 and 88 respectively. Bellows l5 and 16 are mounted in a sealed casing 8| and are both subjected to the same pressure. The pressure as indicated in Fig. 1 is determined by thetemperature of the control bulb 56, which is in communication with the interior of the casing 8| through a tube or duct 82. In Fig. 2 the valve has been shown in its closed position with the bellows l5 expanded to its full extent. Upon an increase in pressure in the casing 8| the valve 61 is raised from its seat to permit the flow of heat transfer fluid to the casing 68 and hence to the coil 49. When the valve is in the position illustrated the contact arm 64, which is mounted on a rod 83 secured to a disk 84 of the bellows I6, is in its uppermost position, so that it engages the contact 66 and maintains the cooling unit 60 in operation. Thus, on an increase in pressure in the atsaoie casing 8| the cooling unit is maintained in operation and the flow of cooled heat transfer medium continues to the coil 49 under control of the valve 61. Upon a decrease in pressure in the casing 8|, which occurs upon a reduction of the temperature within the enclosure 58 below a predetermined value representing the beginning of the range of heating temperatures, the bellows 78 expands extending the spring 18 and bringing the switch arm 84 into engagement with the contact 65 to start the heating unit. Upon further expansion the bellows. l6 expands and the spring '58 overcomes the spring TI and opens the valve 61 to effect operation of the valve to open upon a predetermined decrease in temperature. The variations in temperature within the heating range effect corresponding expansions and contractions of the bellows l6 and vary the opening of the valve 6'! to control the supply of heating fluid to the coil 49 in accordance with the condition in the enclosure 50 as determined by the temperature feeler 56. It will thus be apparent that the valve provides an efiective control of a heating and cooling system so that within the cooling range the valve is opened to provide a greater flow of cooling fluid upon an increase in temperature, and during the heating range the valve is opened to provide an increase in the flow of heating fluid upon a, decrease in temperature. Furthermore, the arrangement of the control 4 switch 63 cooperates with the bellows control of the valve to insure the supply of heating medium during the heating range and cooling medium during the cooling range, thus avoiding the danger, for example, of supplying a greater amount of heating fluid upon a demand for cooling.

In heatingand cooling systems there is a range of temperatures between the normal heating range and normal cooling range during which it is not necessary to provide a flow of heat transfer medium. It will be noted that in the control valve 55 there is a period before the bellows 16 has expanded to engage the lower bellows, and between the time of closing of the valve 61 in the cooling range and the opening for the heating range, during which the valve is not affected; this provides the inactive period between the two ranges of temperatures.

It will thus be apparent that I have provided a valve and control system which may be employed eflectively to control the flow of a heat transfer medium within two different ranges of conditions, for example, within two different temperature ranges. Although I have illustrated my invention as embodied in a heating and cooling system, other applications and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. I do not, therefore, desire my invention to be limited to the particular constructions illustrated and described, and I intend by the accompanying claims to cover all modifications which fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An apparatus for controlling the flow of fluid in heat exchange with a zone to be conditioned in accordance with variations in the temperature of the zone comprising a valve body havmg an inlet and an outlet arranged in the path of the fluid to be controlled, means for conductmg the fluid from said outlet into heat exchange relationship with said zone, a valve for controlling the passage of fluid from said inlet to said outlet, first and second pressure responsive devices, means for subjecting both aid devices to the same pressure and for varying said pressure in accordance with the temperature in Said zone, means connecting said first device with said valve to open said valve when the pressure on said devices exceeds a predetermined value, said first device including means biasing said first device to its valve closing position and said second device including means urging said second device toward said first device in opposing relation to said biasing means, said second device being operative at a predetermined low value of the pressure on said devices to overcome said first device and open said valve whereby said valve is opened upon an increase in temperature in one range of operation and upon a decrease in temperature in a second range of operation, means for supplying heating fluid and cooling fluid selectively to said inlet, and means for actuating said last mentioned means to supply cooling fluid durin said first range of operation and heating fluid during said second range of operation.

2. An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a zone to be conditioned comprising a valve body having an inlet and an outlet, means for supplying heating fluid and cooling fluid selectively to said inlet and for conducting the fluid from said outlet into heat exchange relationship with the zone to be conditioned for aflecting the 5 trolling the fiow of fluid from said inlet to said outlet, first and second pressure responsive devices, means for varying simultaneously the pressure on both said devices in accordance with the temperature of said zone, means connecting said 5 supply cooling fluid to said inlet when said first device is conditioned to open said valve and for supplying heating fluid to said inlet when said second device is conditioned to open said valve.

WARREN A. SPOFFORD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 10 file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 22,685 Carrier Oct. 30, 1945 15 2,211,672 Reeder Aug. 13, 1940 2,387,793 Holmes Oct. 30, 1945 2,470,503 Levine May 17, 1949 

